As the new year begins, we find ourselves thinking about our mom, Collene Spencer, as we do every New Year’s Day, because this would have been her 90th birthday. It’s hard to believe that she has been in Heaven for almost eleven years now. I know that she is celebrating with all the family who have gone before us. Of course, time means nothing in Heaven. Eternity knows no breakdown of the years. One second is the same as the next…pure blissful happiness. It doesn’t get better than that. They are all so very happy, and it makes it easy to be happy for them.
Nevertheless, it also accentuates the loneliness we feel here when we think of them. Sometimes, during the year, when we get busy with our lives, we are able to cope with their absence, at least until something reminds us of them or of a moment, and we miss them all over again. Then comes their birthday or death day and missing them becomes the main focus. Today, as we celebrate the new year, I am also thinking about how 
much I miss my mom. I cant believe that eleven years have come and gone since her went home. She had done all the things she had on her “bucket list” and she was ready. She had told us several times that she was ready, so while her leaving was shocking in one way, it wasn’t in another. They couldn’t even find a cause of death. She just left. That fact still amazes me, eleven years later.
When I think of Mom and Dad back together again, I smile. They were best friends. They never tired of being together. They loved to travel, taking their girls to many amazing places. Our travel was mostly in the United States, because they loved this country…and they wanted my sisters and me to know how wonderful it was. We saw many places in many states, and we knew how blessed we were. Not many kids in those days were as “traveled” as we were. From those trips came favorite places, and places we saw only once. From those trips came history lessons and simple fun times. While the trips were varied in many ways, there were many 
common parts…like the Oregon Trail markers. Those dreaded Oregon Trail markers…at least they were dreaded then. These days, because I love history so much, those markers are interesting, and I wish I could remember each one we visited and its location. They mean more to me now that I am older. I wish I had told my parents that. They would have loved it. Today would have been my mom’s 90th birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Mom. I know you and Dad, as well as Alena, are having a great celebration. Someday we will all celebrate together again. I look forward to it.
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